If i go to USA, how common is it to see a preacher on the streets

[Doubting Thomas]

In the small midwest town of 20,000 people I used to work in, there were a few occasions where preachers would be on the corners of a busy intersection. But I'm guessing that few people paid much attention to them, and that's a town here in the bible belt.

I really have to wonder though, what's the point? I have no statistics to back it up, but I'm guessing the number of people converted to a religion by a street preacher is probably somewhere close to zero.

[Drich]

In the small midwest town of 20,000 people I used to work in, there were a few occasions where preachers would be on the corners of a busy intersection. But I'm guessing that few people paid much attention to them, and that's a town here in the bible belt.

I really have to wonder though, what's the point? I have no statistics to back it up, but I'm guessing the number of people converted to a religion by a street preacher is probably somewhere close to zero.

Who is on the street that has no place to go, or the time to listen to a street preacher? It's the members of soceity the rest of you look past. The homeless, the addicts, and those who have to do terrible things to survive.
Most street preachers are the all too thin safety net for those who fall through the cracks of society.

[Minimalist]

Most street preachers are crazy ass motherfuckers themselves. We dumped lots of crazy people on the streets as a result of the de-institutionalization process which took place in the 70's. Lots of crazy people think jesus talks to them.


Look in a mirror, Drippy.

[Dena]

I've only seen one and that was in Asheville, North Carolina.

[Anomalocaris]

Most street preachers are the all too thin safety net for those who fall through the cracks of society.

Not the safety net, but the drainage sump.

Not the cracks of the society. The cracks of their own sanity.

[freedomfromforum]

We don't have that type of thing here, so i've always wanted to hear a guy on the streets saying "THE LORD HAS SPOKEN!"
Etc... Just curious if it is common in some places in USA?

I would be more worried about getting robbed or conned In The streets, rather than someone trying to save your soul. Especially in tourist trap cities.

So tell me exactly how religion
is NOT a con job that is designed
to steal money and control thought?

[Mr Greene]

Who is on the street that has no place to go, or the time to listen to a street preacher? It's the members of soceity the rest of you look past. The homeless, the addicts, and those who have to do terrible things to survive.
Most street preachers are the all too thin safety net for those who fall through the cracks of society.

Except they don't have anything to do with the homeless, rather they shout at passers by telling them they're "evil sinners" and assorted insults like someone with Tourette's.

[Fidel_Castronaut]

Most street preachers are crazy ass motherfuckers themselves. We dumped lots of crazy people on the streets as a result of the de-institutionalization process which took place in the 70's. Lots of crazy people think jesus talks to them.


Look in a mirror, Drippy.

Agreed.

I don't see any street preachers here in the UK going around tending to the homeless. I just see crazy people with megaphones shouting about how we're all going to hell unless we accept their version of whatever god it is they believe in.

So yeah, a lot like Drich.

[Brian37]

I think mass media like the internet and cell phones but especially the internet, is making door to door and street preachers sales less relevant, although religious people still employ it.

Sometimes where I work some fundy will leave a tract in the bathroom on the sink, I simply throw it in the trash. I've had about 4 or 5 visits from door to door snake oil salesmen in my life. But it does happen.

I am more annoyed by my co-workers who demand my silence and submission on Sunday when they are blaring gospel music for 3 hours. They think they are being tolerant by not firing me, or arresting me. But if I raise one question, they puff out their chests and falsely accuse me of being the bigot. So I have to be the good Uncle Tom atheist and sit quietly at the back of the bus.

[Fidel_Castronaut]

I think mass media like the internet and cell phones but especially the internet, is making door to door and street preachers sales less relevant, although religious people still employ it.

Sometimes where I work some fundy will leave a tract in the bathroom on the sink, I simply throw it in the trash. I've had about 4 or 5 visits from door to door snake oil salesmen in my life. But it does happen.

I am more annoyed by my co-workers who demand my silence and submission on Sunday when they are blaring gospel music for 3 hours. They think they are being tolerant by not firing me, or arresting me. But if I raise one question, they puff out their chests and falsely accuse me of being the bigot. So I have to be the good Uncle Tom atheist and sit quietly at the back of the bus.

A doctor here was recently dismissed for repeatedly sending emails with prayers in them to colleagues and patients after being told by management several times to stop.

He believes that he was dismissed becuase of his religion and for highlighting shoddy care in the hospital several years back. Seems as though the latter argument has some merit, but the management of the hospital retorted saying that nobody was preventing him from being religious, rather a secular workplace demands that people keep their religious sermonising to themselves and not impose it on people who don't want to hear or listen to it.

Just goes to show the difference between here in the UK and over there in the US.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bir...m-24259649 The BBC article doesn't really go into depth. From futher reading it seems like he actually sent these quotes to quite a few people beyond the consultants he claims he posted them too.